The other day I found the tail and one leg of a gray squirrel in my backyard in Black Rock. What could have done this ? ! I put the word out in my neighborhood thinking it was most likely done by a coyote which have been seen once and awhile. Black Rockers responded to tell me of hearing and seeing fishers in their yards. I do think that a fisher was most likely the culprit.
These creatures are sometimes referred to as “fisher cats” even though they seldom eat fish, and are not cats – they are actually weasels. Fishers are one of the largest members of the Mustelid family, which includes species like the mink, weasel, otter and skunk. The name may have been derived from “fitch,” the European polecat, a species familiar to early settlers who may have mistaken the fisher for the polecat.
The fisher has a long, slender body, short legs, a wedge-shaped snout and an elongated, bushy tail The fur is dark brown to black. Their bodies measure 20 – 30 inches with an additional 13 – 17 inches of tail and weigh from 4- 14 pounds. Males are larger than the females. The fishers are known for their thick shiny fur coats, which provide good insulation against the cold and inclement weather.
This is a good website link on Fishers in general and here are two excellent YouTube videos of a Fisher in the Snow and a Fisher in a Tree.
Habits and Habitat
Fishers are generalist predators. They will feed on any animal they can catch favoring rabbits, squirrels, carrion, mice, shrews, voles, wild birds, chipmunks, chickens, turkeys, porcupines, frogs, cats and will eat carrion and garbage. They are also known to supplement their meat diet with insects, nuts, berries, and mushrooms and ferns.
A fisher is one of the few predators with porcupine on its menu. In some forests, fishers have been reintroduced to try to control porcupine populations. A fisher repeatedly attacks the porcupine’s face until it is worn out. Then the fisher flips the porcupine over and attacks the throat or belly where there are no quills.
Fishers by nature do not like open spaces and prefer tree cover or coniferous forests to dwell in. heavily wooded places like New England make an ideal habitat for Fisher cats. They also sometimes live near riparian riverside habitats.
Fishers are mainly nocturnal although they are also active during daytime, mostly during the time just before sunset and just before sunrise when they mainly searches for food. They are good swimmers and climbers, and may hang out in trees cavities, stumps, rock crevices, or ground burrows. In the winter, they make tunnels in the snow. Fishers also use tree cavities as dens as well as ground cavities, such as rock crevices, in winter.
They do not stalk or chase prey but rely on surprising their quarry. Fishers are solitary and secretive. They walk on the soles of their feet and can climb and swim very well. The fisher paws have large surfaces to help run on snow without sinking. If disturbed, fishers arch their back like a cat and hiss, growl, snarl or spit.
Their cry is similar to that of a high pitched one of a child’s and can sound very eerie in the night. Here is an excellent link with audio of the famous fisher screech
In Connecticut
Fishers have been pretty rare in Connecticut until recently. Their presence dwindled in the early 20th century as they were hunted for their fur, as well as lost their habitat due to development. Nowadays due to reforestation and other factors they are making a come back.
The CT DEP did help with their reintroduction in western CT back in 1988. As a result of that project, a self-sustaining population is now established in western Connecticut. Fishers are now also found throughout eastern Connecticut as a result of natural range expansion, and have made inroads into suburban backyards and towns. Today, experts believe there are a few thousand fishers in Connecticut, and they have spread to virtually every corner of this state.
Populations are now high enough that in 2005, Connecticut instituted its first modern day regulated trapping season for fishers. Most northern states have regulated fisher trapping seasons. Fisher fur is valuable, especially the smoother, more silky pelts of the females. Today, a single fisher pelt may bring more than $80. There are so many around that trappers are lobbying to increase Connecticut’s current bag limit for fishers. At the moment, state regulations restrict the legal trapping of fishers to November, and a licensed trapper can take only two per season.
Just Be Careful
If you have a small dog or an outdoor cat – just be careful. The CT DEP has been getting a number of complaints about fishers suspected of killing outdoor cats and other domestic animals. It is important to recognize that fishers are just trying to find food and protect themselves. To protect your own pets and domestic fowl, restrict access to them, and to garbage and pet foods. Keep your cat indoors.
The inclusion of domestic animals on the fisher’s menu is largely responsible for the fisher getting a nasty reputation and the angry sentiments of a lot of pet owners. The fisher is getting a bad rap.
Adding to the fisher’s dark reputation are a couple of recent reports of fishers attacking humans. Both occurred in daylight, leading to concerns the animals had rabies, and both victims got off with scratches and a few bite marks.
But the fishers help keep the balance of nature by taking out the sick and the weak among the prey animals. That’s not a concept many pet owners can relate to, particularly if it’s their cat or puppy that makes the mistake of running into a hungry fisher.
Cat owners need to be aware of the risk they’re taking when they allow their pets to roam free outdoors. If you let your cat outside, then the possibility that it might become dinner for a roaming predator. A 1997 survey indicated that only 35 percent of cats in this country are kept indoors.
How exciting that wild animals such as fishers, turkeys, coyotes and red foxes are returning to our state and our suburbs. In spite of the human-animal conflicts that arise, we can overcome these difficulties by learning to share our habitat with the original inhabitants. For me, the wonder of seeing a fisher or fox in my backyard far outweighs any limitations, safeguards or inconvenience and brings a beautiful part of nature right into my backyard.
If you have a question or comment or a nature topic you’d like to hear about, feel free to post a commnet below. If you’d like to know when my next blog is posted, send me an email at madelinedennis@optonline.net. Check out my listing of CT nature and environmental web sites to the right on this page.
They don’t look very friendly either. And I’m sure any human contact could be dangerous as well.
Madeline-
I saw a fisher at dusk along the banks of the Housatonic River. I think it was Spring 2009.
Eric
Very cool ! I have never seen one
Great information about a sneaky creature. I have them around my property often….especially in the winter. The “scream” is blood curdling to say the least. I once watched an injured Fisher loping behind my barn through 2 feet of snow(where my compost pile is) and when I went out to check on the tracks I noticed that the tracks contained blood. It must of injured it’s paw….very interesting.
Wonder how a tough fisher could have gotten injured ? I hope I see one.
Madeline,
I’ve never seen one in Black Rock but I have seen them here in Westport where I live.
The CT DEP did a great job with their re-introduction. They are a native wildlife species that have their place in our ecosystem.
Hopefully they can help to control white footed mice that contribute to the spread of Lyme Disease.
Jack
Danny Lynch says these things cant be real!
Jack,I agree that it is great to have them with us. I also love seeing coyote, red foxes and turkeys now. Good point about controlling Lyme Disease.
Saw a fox late one night sitting at the bottom of one of my trees in the front yard. It sat there looking up and all of a sudden a flash of black came shreiking down the tree and chased the fox in to the field. Sure it was a fisher cat. It was an amazing sight, although a bit unnerving !
Madeline,
Another great blog!
I believe that we’ve heard a fisher cat in Black Rock. We thought at first that we heard cats fighting or mating, but after hearing the sound bites on your links, I’m sure it was a fisher cat.
After seeing these guys in action, I’m writing Santa that I want a fisher cat for Christmas. Bridgeport is a tough town, and a guy needs a tough pet.
PT
Well you are all very positive happy people about the reintroduction of the Fisher Cat but I am not. The scream is horrifying. It woke up everyone in my condo section about a month ago at 2:00am, then it struck again two weeks ago at 4:00 am. My dog was going crazy and I almost called the cops!!!
And just today at 3:45pm my dog took off after one in the woods. I was so scared for myself and my dog. Now after reading about them attacking people, I’m really nervous. Guess my twice a day runs in the woods with my dog will have to stop.
Will the Fisher attack a 90 pound mutt that isn’t too smart?
Hi, Ree, Don’t know where you live, but wild animals have a place in even our urbanized environment. It always surprises me that people think only people belong in the neighborhood. I got lots of birds, ducks, opossums, skunks, red fox, coyote, raccoons, flocks of big turkeys, deer and a fisher cat, and feel they are an addition to the real coolness of my neighborhood in the biggest city in Connecticut. These animals are here to stay. When you say the fisher cat “struck” again, you mean it just woke you up twice, not attacked something, right!
Don’t know what woods you were running in, but almost all parks and towns require your dog to be on a leash, or at least under your control at all times, so the solution to your fear is to put your dog on a lease or train him. In most instances, the fisher cat should not bother you or your large dog, if you or your dog are not bothering it. But if your not too smart dog is approaching the fisher, it will defend itself. But statistics show you are quite likely to be attacked by your neighbor’s dog not a wild animal so you just cannot live your life in fear.
I spotted one crossing Huntington Street in Shelton. And one night I heard one up in a tree. They have a bone-chilling sound, like a baby getting tortured. But it was exciting to actually see this animal.
A fisher cat was just spotted in my Middletown/Durham area neighborhood – early afternoon.
My boyfriend just called me and told me he spotted a fisher cat in Groton this morning at the ferel cat colony we feed. We have our own cats that we keep indoors but what can we do to protect our ferel cat colonies? Is there anything that fisher cats do not like that we can spread around our ferel cat colony to protect the kitties (garlic, onion, some kind of canned spray?) Please we would like to know as soon as possible!!!
Hi, Chris, You are not going to like my answer. I love cats and I do feel sorry for the stray ones. But the answer to your question is not to stop fishers living in their natural habitat. They are just trying to eat and survive. However, those multiple feral cat colonies that you are sustaining there in Groton will be an ever growing problem unless you get ALL those cats neutered or STOP feeding them. I know it will be hard for you to do that, but you are sustaining an unnatural colony. And all those cats are killing lots of birds in the neighborhood guaranteed. Nature is all about survival of the fittest naturally. What you are doing is upsetting the natural balance in that area: breeding cats, killing birds, increasing the population of fishers and other predators and encouraging weak, sick cats. Let nature take its course. Madeline
Just saw a fisher run across Beardsley Park!! Had no idea what it even was until my friend Tim, who works at the zoo, told me what it was… talk about flipped out!! It was dark brownish in color and very agile..
I just saw a Fisher Cat (around 6pm) near our house in North Guilford — dark brown and moving very gracefully. Very cool!
we have lost 3 neighborhood cats to fisher cats…the domestic cats kept the chipmunk and vole populations in check…after they disappeared the vole and chipmunk populations exploded…seems the fisher cats like easier prey, like pets. their sound is bone chilling. our olny hope is it (or they) move on after they have eaten all the neighborhood pets, or that they now start on the chipmunks and voles! their sound is blood curdling. we live close to mass. border near stafford springs.
Hi, Dat Nurse, Hmm, I would not think cats, bigger than chipmunks and voles and with bigger teeth and claws, are easier prey for fishers. But the fishers are only trying to survive in their natural habitat,
Just saw a Fisher cat cross Route One in Guilford near the Branford town line. Stopped at the edge of the road, looked both ways, waited for me to pass, then crossed.
People > animals (period).
One loss of life is not worth repopulating a species, period.
Wait until one of these attack someone’s child and we’ll see how bright of an idea this was.
Mountain Lion used to be native to CT, lets bring them back too!
I understand that a fisher will attack and kill cats. Does anyone know if it will attack a very loud 20 lb Westie dog? I have woods behind my house and saw a fisher yesterday. I have an invsible fence for my dog as well as a smaller chain linked fenced in area. Friends have told me the dog isn’t even safe in the fenced in area–not sure if they are just trying to scare me or what. My dog comes across as pretty aggressive, but usually runs when confronted.
They have been reintroduced to central Ontario as well; the population has exploded as they have no predators. In Muskoka they come right into your yard, deck etc and kill the cats and dogs in broad daylight. No Dat, they do not move on after eating all the pets, they have a territory and make their rounds.
Oh no – I’ve heard fisher cats invade homes and carry off small children in the night – there was another reported case where a grown 250 pound man had is leg ripped off and bled to death before help could arrive – and – I have a friend that has a friend who’s second cousin twice removed – had his wheel torn off his car while driving down the road at 60 MPH by another fisher cat. These are dangerous beasts.
Quick – let’s kill them all before they truly recover.
Get real people – small pets might be at risk – a Fisher Cat is not the boogie man. Ecosystems around the world are being destroyed at an unprecedented rate – by us. This should be a positive story of a species back from near extinction. Really – how narcissistic – we destroy or consume just about everything in our path. Now there are folks who want to exterminate a native species because it might attack fluffy the house cat. Please…
Really – what gives you the right ?
I HAVE SEEN AN ANIMAL VERY MUCH LIKE THE ONE IN THE PHOTO TWICE. ONE TIME IN THE EARLY SPRING I SAW WHAT APPEARED TO BE A MOTHER WITH HER TO TWO SMALL KITS, CUBS, WHATEVER THEY WOULD BE CALLED ON RIMMON ROAD IN WOODBRIDGE. THEY CAME OUT OF A SMALL POND AND WERE RUNNING DOWN THE ROAD. THE YOUNG ONES WERE TUMBLING AND PLAYFUL AND VERY FRISKY! THIS AUGUST A LONE ANIMAL CROSSED THE ROAD FROM THE POND INTO A SWAMPY AREA ACROSS THE ROAD. IT MOVED VERY QUICKLY BUT IM SURE IT WAS THE SAME KIND OF ANIMAL. HAVE YOU HAD ANY REPORTS OF THIS TYPE OF ANIMAL IN WOODBRIDGE?
These are nasty animals, they have no predators Except one to my surprise. A twenty-one pound Maine coon cat, that l saw run through a screen porch off my deck and into the woods. She had never done that before, after 10 mins of horrific noises I finally found her, laying over a dead fisher, with scratches near her head and belly, but she is fine. My neighbors have been losing there cats in the last two weeks, now I know why and my Maine coon cat did too. The sounds I heard I still remember they were awful. Keep in mine people most animals don’t have a chance except large dogs. Ex, like a German Shepard
These vile, vicious carnivores have no place in suburban areas. after the recent loss of my 4th cat in 4 years to one, I will be doing my best to eliminate them.
John, I am sorry for the loss of your cats. How do you know it was a fisher that killed them? I am sure you are legally hunting fishers by trapping them only during the season which this year is Nov. 20 – Dec. 31.
Just lost two pets. First cat was elderly, so I assumed he went off to die. Then we lost a family favorite cat. It was then that we suspected fox, coyote or fisher cats. I am assuming that it indeed was fisher, because we haven’t seen coyote and the foxes have been around peacefully coexisting over the last ten years. Assuming it is fisher cats, is there any way to trap, so we can relocate to a more wooded area? I would mind eradicating either – after all this is a residential neighbor hood. Would hate to see small children and other animals in danger because of this monster.
our loved cat went missing last friday, sept. 14. we had to leave at about l:30 pm, usually our cat, who is disabled, only had 3 legs, due to a car accident, would only go to the bathroom, then return to the door. that day, he was let out early, about 9:00 am or so and when we left at 1:30 pm that day, he was not at the door. we usually always let him in when we leave. but, he was not around, so, we feel if something got him it was between 9 and 1:30 that day. we have been desperately checking our land, neighbor’s land, everywhere. our cat had 2 collars on, one flea and one breakable. we have noticed a hawk flying above several times over our farm. today, is tuesday, sept 18th, still no sight of our car. someone near us said that they saw a fisher cat in the area. my question is this, “does a fisher cat kill then eat the animal at another location?” some people have told me that they just basically kill and take the head off the animal. which is true, kill and leave or kill and take. our hearts are broken at this time still hoping that we would at least find his body and have closure. please let us know what you think. the cat never left our farm, he basically stayed close to the house, and never ventured off at all. so now, we are scared for the rest of the animals. because we have rats because of the grain, etc., we need to have some farm cats to keep mice and rats at a minumum. again, let us know what you think. a map depicting the fisher cat populated areas of ct would be very interesting. we think that if someone researed this and let an awareness outreach, it would save people’s domestic pets. thank you.
There have been a few instances of fishers preying on cats and small dogs.] While there is popular belief for more frequent attacks on pets, zoologists suggest bobcats or coyotes are more likely to prey upon domestic cats and chickens. See –> http://scientistatwork.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/06/do-fishers-really-eat-cats/